Knowing Life and the Church
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Message Five
Standing on the Unique Ground of the Church,
Being under the Limitation of the Body of Christ,
and Being Body-conscious in One Accord
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints…—1 Cor. 1:2.
But we will not boast beyond our measure but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach even as far as you—2 Cor. 10:13.
Word of Appetizer
First Corinthians 1:2 speaks of the church at Corinth. What does this show?
This shows the locality of Corinth for the existence, expression, and practice of the church; such a locality becomes the local ground of the local churches on which they are built respectively; thus, the church in Corinth was built on the ground of the city of Corinth.
Spiritual Burden
We must stand on the unique ground of the church, the genuine ground of oneness; we must be under the limitation of the Body of Christ, not going beyond our measure; and we must be Body-conscious in one accord for the Lord’s move in His recovery both locally and universally.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
We must stand on the unique ground of the church,
the genuine ground of oneness.
As members of the Body of Christ standing on the genuine ground of oneness, we must be limited by the other members, not going beyond our measure.
For the Lord’s move in His recovery both locally and universally, we must be Body-conscious in one accord.
The Experience of Life
We should be dependent not only on God but also on the Body, on the brothers and sisters.
What I do not know, another member of the Body will know; what I cannot see, another member of the Body will see; what I cannot do, another member of the Body will do.
Practice and Application
The unique name into which God’s people should gather is the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the reality of which name is the Spirit. in our meeting for the worship of God, we must exercise our spirit and do everything in the spirit.
We must be willing to be limited by our measure. Like Paul we should move and act according to how much God has measured to us, staying within the limits of God’s ruling, God’s measuring.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints…—1 Cor. 1:2.
Saying, What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea—Rev. 1:11.
I. We must stand on the unique ground of the church, the genuine ground of oneness
A. First Corinthians 1:2 speaks of the church at Corinth—this shows the locality of Corinth for the existence, expression, and practice of the church; such a locality becomes the local ground of the local churches on which they are built respectively; thus, the church in Corinth was built on the ground of the city of Corinth.
B. The practice of the church life in the early days was the practice of having one church for one city, one city with only one church; in no city was there more than one church.
Key Verses (2)
And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, it is not that because of this it is not of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were the hearing, where would the smelling be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, even as He willed—1 Cor. 12:16-18.
But we will not boast beyond our measure but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach even as far as you. For we are not extending ourselves beyond our bounds, as if we did not reach you…—2 Cor. 10:13-14.
II. As members of the Body of Christ standing on the genuine ground of oneness, we must be limited by the other members, not going beyond our measure
A. God has placed all the members of the Body, even as He willed:
• The Head sets us in our special place in the Body and points us to our special function.
B. A basic requirement for the growth and development of the Body is that we recognize our measure and do not go beyond it. We must be willing to be limited by our measure.
C. Like Paul we should move and act according to how much God has measured to us, staying within the limits of God’s ruling, God’s measuring.
Key Verses (3)
That there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same care for one another. And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the Body of Christ, and members individually—1 Cor. 12:25-27.
III. For the Lord’s move in His recovery both locally and universally, we must be Body-conscious in one accord
A. We should always consider the Body, care for the Body, honor the Body, and do what is best for the
B. “When Brother Nee taught about the Body, he said that whatever we do, we have to consider how the churches would feel about it”.
C. In the Body there can be no independence or individualism, for we are members, and members cannot live in detachment from the Body:
• Those who see that they are members of the Body treasure the Body and honor the other members, each of whom is indispensable.
• Wherever there is Body-revelation, there is Body-consciousness, and wherever there is Body-consciousness, individualistic thought and action are ruled out.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The church in Corinth was built on the ground of the city of Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2; Acts 8:1; 13:1; Rev. 1:11)
(Use Bible verses to explain that the practice of the church life in the early days was the practice of having one church for one city.)
T2 The local church with the city as the unit (Rev. 1:11)
(Please explain that the book of Revelation’s being sent to the seven churches equals its being sent to the seven cities.)
D2
T1 They were to worship God in the place of His choice, the place where His name was (Deut. 12:5-6)
(What is the reason why the children of Israel were not allowed to worship God in the place of their choice?)
T2 The people of God should always be one; there should be no divisions among them (Psa. 133; John 17:11, 21-23)
(The revelation in the New Testament concerning the worship of God corresponds to the revelation in Deuteronomy 12 in at least four ways. What are these four ways?)
D3
T1 Each of whom is indispensable (1 Cor. 12:18-22) (Refer to Outline II. A)
(Please explain that God has placed all the members of the Body, even as He willed.)
T2 Be willing to be limited by our measure (Rom. 12:3, 6; Eph. 4:7, 16) (Refer to Outline II. B)
(Please explain that a basic requirement for the growth and development of the Body is that we recognize our measure and do not go beyond it.)
D4
T1 learn to take the Lord’s restriction (1 Cor. 10:13-14)
(Use your experience to explain that in giving a testimony of what we have learned of the Lord, we should have a limit, a measure.)
T2 Move and act according to how much God has measured to us (Rom. 15:24)
(Please testify with your experience that if we spread the work according to the Spirit, there will always be a certain limit.)
D5
T1 Consider the Body, care for the Body, honor the Body (1 Cor. 12:25~26)
(How should we apply the fact that “whatever we do, we have to consider how the churches would feel about it”?)
T2 Those who see that they are members will surely treasure the Body (1 Cor. 12:27; Rom. 12:5; Eph. 5:30)
(Please explain that in the Body there can be no independence or individualism, for we are members.)
D6
T1 Allow the other members of the Body to minister to my needs (1 Cor. 12:17-22)
(Use your experience to explain: what I do not know, another member of the Body will know; what I cannot see, another member of the Body will see; what I cannot do, another member of the Body will do.)
T2 The enemy of the Body is the self (Matt. 16:21-26)
(Why is the self the greatest problem to the building up of the Body?)
